Sand pump



G.L.BURNS Sept. 5, 1939.

SAND PUMP Filed July 19, 1937 Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to sand pumps and is designed more especially for elevating sand whether or not it is mixedfwith uid.

It has been found that pumps of this type utilizing suckers have not been efficient where there has been no fluid because it has been impossible to produce a suction sufficient to pick the solid matter.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate a sucker without, however, interfering with the creation of a suction sufficient to lift the sand rapidly and eiciently Whether in a dry state or mixed with fluid.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a pump of this character which will pick up materials of larger sizes than possible heretofore.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawing Figure 1 is an elevation of the pump.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the lower portion thereof.

Figure 2a is a similar section through the upper portion of the pump.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the ratchet means, adjacent parts being shown.

Referring to the gures by characters of reference I designates the tubular upper section of the pump which telescopes on the lower tubular section 2. This latter section is provided with a sleeve 3 constituting an extension thereof and which is interiorly screw-threaded as shown at 4. A tubular plug 5 is screwed into the sleeve 3 and is provided at its lower edge with cutting teeth 8. 'Ihe upper end of this plug, which is located within the lower end of the member 2, provides a seat 'I for a ilap valve 8 hingedly mounted on the plug as shown at 9. This valve is adapted to close onto its seat when subjected to pressure from above but to open away from its seat when material flows upwardly through the inlet plug 5. Any desired means can be used for preventing the tubular plug 5 from unscrewing after being brought to proper position. For example a spring-latch IIJ can be mounted thereon at any suitable point for engaging within notches II provided therefor within the sleeve 3.

Secured within the upper portion of the member 2 is a guide member I2 adapted to slide within the upper member I so as to act somewhat in the manner of a piston. This member I2 is formed with openings I3 extending therethrough and it is also formed with a socket I4 in which is xedly mounted a nut I5 carrying a removable stud I6 which can be a screw seated in the nut and projecting into the opening in said nut. A cover plate I'I can be attached to member I2 for the purpose of holding the nut within its recess or socket I4;

Secured within the upper end portion of the upper member I is the tubular extension I8 of a cap I9 provided with opposed openings 28. A cross-strip 2| is secured within the cap and has pivoted to it opposed expansion arms 22 which hang downwardly from the strip 2| and are located between and adapted to work within longitudinal slots 23 formed within that portion of the extension I8 above and outside of the member I. Outward swinging movement of these expansion arms is limited by lugs 24 on the arms and which are adapted to come against the Wall of the extension I8 when the arms reach the limit of their outward swinging movement.

Secured within the lower portion of the tubular extension I8 so as to seat snugly within the upper portion of the member I is a plug 25 having a central bore 26 and also provided with a desired number of passages 21 extending therethrough from the top to the bottom. The lower end of this plug is preferably recessed as shown at 28 sothat material pressed upwardly thereagainst will be deflected inwardly away from the wall of the member I.

A ratchet 29 is formed on or suitably joined to the upper end of the plug 25 and is concentric with the bore 26. Cooperating with this,` ratchet are pawls 30 carried by a collar 3I which is secured to and rotates with the upper end of an elongated stem 32 formed with a spiral groove 33 of a long pitch, this groove extending downwardly close to the lower end of the stem where a stop is located in the form of a nut 34 or the like. This tem is slidably and rotatably mounted within the guide plug I2 and the lug I6 heretofore referred to is so adjusted as to project into the spiral groove 33. The ange 'Ill formed on the stem 32 engages the under-surface of the plug 25 and cooperates with the same for preventing the plug 25 and the ratchet 29 from moving from the pawls 3U as the upper member I is moved downwardly.

It is to be understood that this device is to be joined to a suitable support formed or pipe or the like connected to a threaded stud on the cap I9 so that the tool can readily be raised and lowered Within a well.

Slidably mounted within the extension I8 between plug 25 and the expansion arms 22 is a piston 36 having a close fit against the extension I8 and provided with openings 31 for the passage of material through the piston. A valve in the form of a slidable disc 38 is mounted on the piston and is also slidably mounted on the piston stem 39, which, as shown, is extended upwardly between the arms 22 and connected to said arms by a toggle 40. Thus when the piston moves downwardly within the extension I8 the rod 39 will pull upon the toggle and cause it to thrust the arms 22 in opposite directions so that they will extendgzthrough the slots 23 as shown. Whenthe pistonisy moved in the opposite direction', however, these arms will be retracted asrshown by lfull lines in Figure 2B..

In practice the tool is suspended and then lowered into the well or other area from which sand is to be removed. The lower member 2, being slidably mountedwithin the upper member I, will gravitate downwardly until limited in its movement by engagement of plug I2 with the stop 34`. During this downward sliding movement the pawls ywill slip ba'ckwardly over the ratchet teeth at 29 so that member 2 will be free to drop straight down without rotating while the stem 32 will be free to rotate and thus allow the lug I 6 to travel downwardly within thegroove in the stem.V

This downward movement of the lower member relative to the upper member will create a suction within the tool so that the valve 8 will open freely and sand engaged by the lower end of the pump will be free to ilow upwardly into the space above the valve as well as into the space above the plug I2. During this operation the toggle 40 causes rod 39 to pull or thrust the arms 22 so that they will be swung outwardly into contact with the wall of the bore in which the tool is located, thereby acting to hold the member I against rotation during the operation of theV member as explained.

Member I is then lowered on the member 2. During this operation the pawls 30, engaging ratchet 29 will hold stem 32 against actuation by the lateral thrust'of stud I6 in the spiral groove 33. Instead the stud will be caused to travel around the stem as the stem is thrust downwardly within plug I2, as the member 2 is joined to the stud, said member thus being caused to rotate, causing the teeth to exert a cutting action while at the same time material trapped within member 2 will be forced upwardly through passages I3 and through4 passages 2I and piston 36 into the tubular extension I8 and cap I9 from which it will pass outwardly through the openings provided.

The operation already described is thereafter repeated and when the lower member 2 is lowered an under suction is set up which tends to draw sand or other material upwardly into the tool as before explained after which the tool is collapsed for the purpose of expelling the sand upwardly into the space above the piston.

In other words when either or both of the members I and 2 are moved to elongate the tool, the stem 32 will rotate freely but when the tool is shortened by its telescopic action, the pawl and ratchet connection 29-33 will hold the stem against rotation relative to the lower member 2 so that said member and stud I6 will be rotated -by the non-revolving stem sliding therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A pump of the class described including telescopically connected upper and lower tubular members, a valved inlet at the lower end of the lower member, there being an outlet adjacent to the upper end of the upper member, a. stem carried by the upper member and having a spiral, a clutch connection between the upper member and the stem for permitting rotation of the stem in one direction relativeV to the upper member but holding it against rotation in the/opposite direction relative to said upper member, means within and carried by the lower member for sliding engagement by and with the stem,

said means including spiral engaging means for setting up a relative rotation between one of the members and the stem, a valved piston within the upper member, and means operated by said piston when subjected to suction from within the telescopically connected members, for anchoring the upper member against rotation in a bore in which it is seated.v

2. A pump of the class described including telescopically connected upper and lower tubular members, a valved inlet at the lower end of the lower member, there being an outlet adjacent to the upper end of the upper member, a stem carried by the upper member and having a spiral, a clutch connection between the upper member and the stem for permitting rotation of the stem in one direction relative to the upper member but holding it against rotation in the opposite direction relative to said upper member, means within and carried by the lower member for sliding engagement by and with the stem, said means including spiral engaging means for setting up a relative rotation between one of the said arms and the stem, a valved piston within the upper member, and means operated by said piston when subjected to suction from within the telescopically connected members, for anchoring the upper member against rotation in a bore in which it is seated, said means includingsuitably supported oppositely disposed arms connected to the upper member, a toggle interposed therebetween for moving the arms toward and from each other, and a connection between the toggle and the piston.

GEORGE L. BURNS. 

